| SURFACE VALUE: Innovative Coverings for Walls + Floors by Shelly Rosenberg The aesthetic-minded have been embellishing the surfaces of their dwellings since the dawn of mankind. Primitive cave drawings have evolved into notably advanced and practical layers, functioning well beyond simple decoration. Breakthrough technology offers innumerable options that are creating quite a buzz within the design trade. Materials once considered old-world and customary have been redeveloped, acquiring inventive characteristics that allow entirely new uses. An exciting example is the leather tile. Once relegated to the protected walls of a gentleman’s library, this material has been given new life. Pompei Mosaic Tile offers gorgeous, thin squares of genuine leather that are certified green, recyclable and stained with organic pigment. |
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| Without compromising its natural and sustainable qualities, the entire collection is 100% water and stain proof. This means we can now enjoy the luxury of leather in commercial installations or, worry free, in our own kitchens, baths, pool houses or even yachts! Further, a patented installation technology allows this material to be placed directly over existing floors, making it possible to incorporate LED lighting systems for dramatic effects. |
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| Another advantage of this dense material is its ability to absorb sound. Have you noticed that movie theaters and concert halls are often wrapped in textile-covered panels? This is to reduce echo and balance tone. Acoustical integrity of surfaces can add value to home media rooms or bedrooms, but are especially important in commercial settings like nightclubs, restaurants and multi-level office lobbies, where bouncing sound waves can create a loud and chaotic environment. The image below beautifully illustrates this meld of form and function. |
| Our second spot lighted product also boasts social responsibility matched with problem- solving panache. Globus Cork is a pioneer in the origination of colored cork material and is the premier U.S. manufacturer of cork tiles. Why cork? Globus explains that cork is harvested from a specific oak (some up to 200 years old) every 9 years, so no trees are harmed in the process. And the primary cork used in Globus fabrication comes from waste of the wine bottle stopper industry, so it is already recycled material before it is reconstituted. They boast that cork applications can be found everywhere from IKEA stores to the U.S. Library of Congress and proudly utilize renewable wind energy in their manufacturing process. |
| The material’s impressive list of attributes includes low-impact sustainability, complete recyclability, water-based adhesives, zero VOCs, anti-allergenic and insect resistant properties. Cork, too, is highly durable, absorbs sound and even acts as a natural insulator, helping to regulate environmental temperature. The restaurant, below, has found a practical and attractive way to add intimacy and warmth to its sleek, modern design. |
| With thirty saturated colors to choose from, and twenty different sizes, applications and creative pattern options are endless. The company offers a collection of ready-made geometric patterns such as the one in the kitchen,on the right. Like DIY projects? Each piece is pre-cut and pre-pasted to make assembly easy- there are even video tutorials available. For signature installations, Globus Cork will completely customize their product for your one-of-a-kind project. |
| Modernistas that lean toward the high tech will love our final feature. 3Form, owned by the Hunter Douglas Group, is a leader in the manufacture of non-toxic resins and its resulting product lines. The company culture is truly inspiring as they are committed to boldly applying technology to design. Their creative, hands-on employees run highly efficient operating centers, leaving a minimal environmental footprint. Everything is recyclable and made-to-order, so there is less waste. The fascinating products are low impact, yet high-design. |
| Their specific creation, coined “Ecoresin,” is an adaptive substance “wildly heralded as the most significant new product, within A&D, in the last twenty years,” according to the company. They also produce components in stone, metal, polyester and pressed glass. These moldable materials have the freedom to take on any form imaginable and the durability to function in just as many ways. Their website is an absolute candy store of ideas from modular wall art, digital photography panels, room dividers and sliding doors to counter tops, furnishings and light fixtures! The sky is the limit! Modernism is all about evolution, change and improvement. Technological advances are emerging faster than we can keep up with. It is a very exciting time for art, architecture and design. Our trio of ground-breaking inventors make it clear…our surroundings- and surfaces- will never be the same! |